We're all going to have to play it cool until 2018, but still, it's tough not to get excited about the prospect of Ocean's Eight. The baseline pitch of "it's really just Ocean's 11, but with women" was plenty tantalizing on its own, and then the producers started staffing up for a head-spinning cast; the team for this heist includes Anne Hathaway, Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Rihanna, Awkwafina, Sarah Paulson, Helena Bonham Carter, and Mindy Kaling. And if the prospect of a multi-million-dollar studio vehicle featuring this cast doesn't have you sold — this film could be a real-time account of those eight actresses getting brunch and I'd still be down — they've got one more trick up their sleeve.

Variety reports today that tiny-mouthed British thespian Damian Lewis (one-time star of Homeland, now-time star of Billions) has entered "final negotiations" to join the Ocean's Eight cast as the resident antagonist. It looks like he'll occupy the position that Andy Garcia held in Steven Soderbergh's 2001 remake, portraying the mark of the all-gal gang's elaborate con, but this version adds a wrinkle to the part. The Variety item notes that Lewis' sap also happens to be an ex-boyfriend of Bullock's character, the de facto head of operations — Garcia and Clooney, regrettably, were not lovers in the 2001 film.

Though no ink has dried as of yet, Variety cites sources claiming that Lewis has been seen around set in recent weeks and that his involvement will mount to more than a mere cameo. At any rate, the Gary Ross-directed project has gotten off to a roaring start, boasting a dream cast to boot. I'm not being figurative, by the way — in my wildest dreams, Rihanna and Cate Blanchett wear snappy outfits and commit crimes.